His time at Back2Basics would change his life, providing him with a chance at sobriety he did not feel like he had or needed before.
“I have always cared about how my friends were feeling, had a talent for listening to people, and I have always appreciated how people confide in me,” McCaskill said. “I love listening to people and helping people find some resolution.”
A knack for empathy is part of the reason he is an NAU senior studying social work with a plan to get a master’s degree and an LCSW license. However, despite deeply caring for the people around him, McCaskill spent much of his life feeling disconnected and discontented. These feelings, along with two ACL tears while playing soccer in high school, contributed to years of battling substance use issues.
“Despite having grown up in a blessed and well-rounded household, I always had these feelings of discontent that wouldn’t go away and caused me to rebel,” McCaskill said. “By the end of junior high, I was smoking weed and after my second ACL tear, I became obsessed with Xanax.”
After multiple run-ins with the police, totaling a buddy’s car while under the influence and marijuana possession, McCaskill did his first stint in treatment.
“I did a year of treatment, but I knew it wouldn’t take,” McCaskill said. “I wasn’t ready to work on myself and you have to be ready for treatment to work.”
After treatment, McCaskill dropped out of high school, started experimenting with other drugs and made another failed attempt at treatment. When he went to his parents begging for help, they agreed to do so one last time, provided he went back to treatment. McCaskill refused but returned six days later, ready to go to Flagstaff.
“By the time my parents wanted me to seek treatment at Back2Basics, I was so lost I was willing to try anything,” McCaskill said. “I wasn’t fully invested, but so tired of life that I agreed so that I could reset.”
His time at Back2Basics would change his life, providing him with a chance at sobriety he did not feel like he had or needed before. The difference between Back2Basics and other programs was that B2B told him what he didn’t want to hear, but needed to hear.
“I always wanted to listen to other peoples’ problems, but I never wanted to listen about my own,” McCaskill said. “The team at Back2Basics told me to be quiet and listen. I was appalled by that at first, but I took their advice. I closed my mouth, opened my ears and listened for two months.”
Someone simply telling him to be quiet and listen opened McCaskill up to experiences and conversations about addiction that were real and raw. It showed McCaskill that he could be honest with his own emotions and experiences, and he could point the empathy he had toward others toward himself. Outdoor adventure therapy became a great way to connect with guys and get healthy. McCaskill was severely underweight when coming to B2B, and he found himself getting in better and better shape every month.
“The hikes are important because they mimic the recovery process,” McCaskill said.
Three years later, McCaskill works full-time at Back2Basics as the Residential Program Coordinator. He is doing what he is passionate about: listening to others and helping them find a sober resolution to their substance use. He runs multiple groups at the residential treatment center.
“This whole process at B2B has become a passion of mine,” McCaskill said. “I get to have one-on-one conversations with guys who are really struggling and see that resolve develop. It is an amazing honor to be here.” FBN
By Roy DuPrez
Roy DuPrez, M.Ed., is the CEO and founder of Back2Basics Outdoor Adventure Recovery in Flagstaff. DuPrez received his B.S. and M.Ed. from Northern Arizona University. Back2Basics helps men recover from addiction to drugs and alcohol.
Back2Basics is an adventure recovery program, up to six months, for adult men with substance abuse issues looking for a positive and meaningful life. In our program, clients are exposed to a weekly combination of both wilderness adventures and residential programming. For more information, visit back2basicsoutdooradventures.com, call 928-814-2220 or email rduprez@b2badventures.com.
Courtesy Photo: Back2Basics Program Coordinator Reed McCaskill uses his natural gift of empathy to listen to those going through recovery.
Leave a Reply